


Scorbus- Fifth Year

by thestressedsorceress



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Scorbus, Scorose-Bashing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-15 07:25:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9224864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestressedsorceress/pseuds/thestressedsorceress
Summary: After the events of their fourth year at hogwarts, Scorpius and Albus are scrambling for normality again. Scorpius seeks solace in Rose Granger-Weasley since his father has found a new woman, but their relationship is not as perfect as it might seem. Albus is unsure of what to make of this, missing his best friend as he spends more time with Rose. On top of all this, a certain dark sorcerer is on the loose again....Albus and Scorpius must help each other to come through what will be another tough year at Hogwarts.-----------------Okay, so- this fic probably isn't going to be finished and if it is, not for a very long time. I have no real excuses- I just honestly ran out of steam and I don't want to write something I won't enjoy, which wouldn't be as good if I was writing it because I felt I had to. I've just got too much on to write something I don't even particularly want to write.I am really sorry to everyone who wanted to know how this ended, but this way you can make your own ending.TSS x





	1. A perfect night?

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is from Scorpius's POV. This takes place in the last weeks before the Christmas holidays.

SCORPIUS POV

I always used to think maybe stars were souls of the dead, watching over us. All the constellations were old friends and families who wanted to stick together, even in death. The moon, I thought, was surely a massive body of souls who had all died in the same way. They turned away when they had seen something on earth which made them sad-maybe a loved one upset. This got me wondering. How could they see from so far away? How would they know who their loved ones actually were from such a distance? And therefore, was it possible that someone's guardian angel could actually desert them when they found out that they were watching over the wrong person? I guess if that was a thing that could happen, if my theory was right, it would pretty much explain what had happened to me. To my life. But if I was wrong- if there were no guardian angels, if someone else was pulling the strings- what did I ever do to deserve the life I had now? To deserve this?  
What did Scorpius Malfoy, son of a Death Eater and a woman with questionable family history, ever do to deserve a dead parent and a rumour stalking him which he couldn't shake off no matter how hard I tried?  
Maybe the answer was in the question.  
Maybe all this was forcing me to answer for my Dad's crimes.  
But how was that fair? And was there nothing I could do? Was it decided as I sat in the darkness of my mother's womb- Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, you will never grow with the care and support of two loving parents. You will never have any true friends and never be able to shake off the shroud your father gave you when he murdered and maimed and tortured for a cause he never truly believed in, all before his nineteenth birthday.  
And last but not least, you will never, ever be able to shake off the unfounded rumour that stalks you wherever you go.  
Me? Voldemort's son? How could anyone even think that, when looking at my father and me together? How could anybody doubt my parents' love, think it was only a front to cover a baby born to the most dangerous dark wizard of the time? A wizard my mother had never agreed with in the first place, despite her family's influence? They were completely in love, anybody could see that. Neither of them were good enough actors- and there was no way such a powerful wizard could create offspring as completely average as me.  
My father told me after my mother's funeral that my eyes weren't always grey- they used to be as brightly blue as the sky. He said that as Mum got steadily more ill, the stormy colouring had closer in from the edges and got darker and darker as she died.  
Cases like these weren't unheard of, but I still didn't believe him. That night, I went to my room and stared in the mirror at the eyes I felt weren't my own, and the boy I felt wasn't me either. That boy was halfway to being an orphan, and rumoured to be the son of Lord Voldemort. That boy had lost everything. Me? I was still Scorpius, with blue eyes and a laughing mother and a father I looked up to, not a father I hated the thought of becoming.

After my mother's death, my father and I were both inconsolable. The only reason I went back to Hogwarts was to stop the rumours which would have only intensified had I stayed away, and to see the only person who could possibly make me feel better- Albus. I found no solace in my father, a man I now barely recognised and was so sodden drunk most of the time he barely recognised me either. As the years wore on, we both slowly recovered from the crippling loss, but my father sought no new women. I didn't think he could bear the idea of being disloyal to my mum.  
I hoped to God that would never change.

It was nights like these, staring up at the stars, that all these thoughts came to me. When I was seven years old, I found a loose patch in my bedroom ceiling. If you knocked on it three times, a ladder dropped and I could climb up and lie back on the roof tiles in the middle of the night. I would lie for hours just contemplating the stars, making up stories about the souls I believed to be up there.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" Rose whispered in my ear, her arm around my shoulders as we sat on the Astronomy tower. It was near midnight. I had snuck her up here for some private time- I thought it was pretty romantic and there was no Albus there to make me guilty. Rose and I had been dating for just over two months now but our relationship hadn't really gone further than the odd hug. I supposed I just wasn't ready yet, though she was dropping an awful lot of hints. I had never known her so forward but I supposed I had signed up for this now we were officially a couple.  
Why did I still hate that word? I should be proud of it!  
I'd known she'd love it up here. I'd thought I would too, but I felt uncomfortable now. It didn't feel as natural as it should have, sitting up here with just us and the stars, my arm round her like the textbook boyfriend. I was freezing cold, as I'd draped my jacket round her shoulders some time ago. Girls are crazy for that sort of thing.  
"Scor?"  
"Nothing." I slid off the ramparts and lifted her off too, whirling her around to eventually set her down on her feet. She giggled ditzily and her eyes sparkled. She really did look lovely.  
"Come on, Rose. I need to get you back to Gryffindor tower before Filch catches us."  
"We can stay a while longer." she muttered, slipping my jacket back around my shoulders.  
"And tire you out for the transfiguration quiz tomorrow?" I teased. "Though I know you'll only sit up and study as soon as I drop you back."  
"Then what difference does it make?" she laughed.  
"I can't be blamed this way. Although-" I ran a hand through her hair in an attempt to appear manly, but the gesture just felt unnatural,"-I'd keep you up here all night if I could."  
The words felt too bulky and sharp in my mouth, stinging my tongue. What was wrong with me? It felt as though I was saying these words to the wrong person, but that couldn't be right. Who else could it be?

I pushed the unwelcome, unsettling thoughts from my mind and took Rose by the hand. Her skin was rough and I knew probably stained with ink from when she wrote too fast. We pulled out our wands in unison and held them to each other's heads, whispering incantations. I felt her Disillusionment Charm trickle down my back. Mine didn't quite work and she ended up with only her head visible. She mock-sighed and finished the spell herself.  
"Ready?" I asked.  
"Yeah."  
We turned to head down the stone staircase. I loved the castle at night. In the day, I knew the corridors and passages would be full of students screaming and gossiping- some about me. But at night it was silent- apart from the ongoing whispers of the walls and the air, heavy and buzzing with secrets.  
I let Rose lead the way to Gryffindor Tower. Together we slipped past the statuettes lining the hallways- the ones I always dreamed were watching me- and dodged past the caretaker and his foul cat. That cat once scratched me when Albus and I were sneaking around at night, trying to find a new secret passage, and I've never liked any cat since.  
When we were passing the transfiguration classrooms, I heard a noise from around the corner. Neither of us even thought about getting cocky. I used my grasp of Rose's hand to pull her to me and I flattened us against the wall. I became instantly aware of her body pressed tightly against mine, and felt her bury her face in my chest. I tried my best to ignore the blood thundering through my head, telling myself my discomfort was due to the imminent danger. But deep down, I knew it was something else. My dislike of the intimacy that had become so common with Rose. It felt so wrong, so unnatural.

The shape appearing around the corner was thrown into relief by the lantern it was carrying. By the wildly swinging light, I saw the face of the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Professor Clearwater. She was nice enough, but a stickler for the rules and I knew if she caught us now, we'd both be in detention for at least a fortnight. I couldn't let that happen. I felt the familiar ring of panic tightening round my chest, becoming so tight I could hardly breathe. I held my breath and felt all my muscles tense. The professor paused and I felt Rose freeze. She took a step closer to where we stood, sensing a presence- I don't know. She turned, almost sniffing the air. Time slowed down. Just as she began to turn away, blackness began to crawl into my vision from the bottom. Frowning, I moved back. Rose's hair! It was becoming steadily more visible as my shoddy Disillusionment Charm wore off. By the second, more of her head was becoming visible. She could clearly feel something, because she moved away from me and gasped. She looked in horror, pleading, at where she knew I must be stood. She was looking about a foot too far to the left, so I knew I must still be safe- thank God for her spell-casting ability. All this took place in about a second.  
Rose's gasp of horror must have been audible, because Professor Clearwater stopped. She slowly began to turn, frowning, and I had to act fast. Praying, I fumbled for my wand and jabbed it into Rose's hair. I could practically feel her scowl as I gripped the handle and thought as hard as I could. This was risky- we had barely covered non-verbal spells yet, but I couldn't risk words.  
To my astonishment, Rose's forehead and hair melted into the air. I had done it! The professor peered one more time at the blank stretch of wall where we stood like statues, and then moved off down the corridor, footsteps echoing crisply on the floor.  
Without a word, I adjusted my grip on Rose's hand and she pulled me as quickly and quietly as she could down the corridor. My heart was racing. After a minute, we ground to a halt in front of the portrait of Gryffindor's famed Fat Lady. The sound of our breathing reverberated in the silent hall, mine more laboured than Rose's- who was, after all, a star athlete. I sometimes wondered how the Slytherin nerd had come to be with the Gryffindor golden girl.  
It was so weird, stood there holding the hand of a girl I couldn't even see. Rose was clearly thinking the same thing because she started to giggle. I slapped a hand over where I thought her mouth was, but turned out to not be.  
"Scorpius, you just poked me in the eye!" Rose's voice hissed.  
"Sorry!" I whispered. Then the total ridiculousness of the situation hit to me and I couldn't hold back my laughter. Rose joined in. I think she assumed I was laughing for the same reasons as her- or what I assumed hers were, but I wasn't. She was most likely laughing because she was stood here loving a boy she couldn't even see, and who had just poked her in the eye. Me? I was laughing somewhat bitterly, because this girl had just nearly got us both caught (though I knew it wasn't really her fault), and I would never be 'worthy' of her, and I had just taken her around the castle for a date so that I could pretend to be the perfect handsome prince I wasn't because I thought it would make me feel better about myself, and I hadn't even enjoyed it at all.  
My laughter died.  
"Scorpius? What's wrong?" whispered Rose. She pulled out her wand and rapped it on my head, lifting my Disillusionment Charm. She did the same for herself and I saw her peering at me worriedly.  
"Nothing." I pasted a big smile on my face, hoping it was convincing. Hoping she couldn't see what I was really thinking. "Come on. Bedtime for you."  
She hugged me and I listlessly tightened my arms around her, because it felt like the right thing to do.  
Then I posted her back through the portrait hole with a last movie-star smile. I saw her blush even by the candlelight. Damn, I was good at this.  
Why was I good at something I didn't even feel I wanted any more?  
I turned with one last wave, and heard the portrait frame close quietly behind her. Then another voice rang out in the dark.  
"She loves you, you know."  
I turned back again. The Fat Lady was surveying me regally from her gilt frame.  
"But you don't love her, do you?" she asked, a smile tugging at her lips.  
"What would you know about love?" I asked. "You're just a portrait."  
She sighed. "But before I was a portrait, what was I? A girl just like her. And as a woman I can tell you the worst thing you could do for that girl is not tell her the truth."  
I nodded. Then I turned and headed away down the corridor.  
She called after me one last time, "You could do much worse than her you know. Don't be a coward, Scorpius . Do what's right."  
I ignored that last veiled insult and carried on through the halls in silence, not stopping to think that I was so infamous even the portraits knew my name. As soon as I reached the Slytherin dormitory, I kicked off my shoes, taking pleasure in the violent thud they made against the bed. I threw myself down on the mattress, groaning. I buried my head in my hands and felt the bed springs creak.  
I did know I could do worse than Rose, and that I'd probably never get a chance to do better. And that was the problem. If I threw this away, I might never get a better chance to carry on the Malfoy line, and I had to.  
But it just wasn't working. Unfortunately, I seemed to be the only one who thought so. The whole school thought we were the cutest couple ever and Rose was blissfully unaware that anything was wrong.  
In the next bed, Albus stirred. My shoes hitting the bed had clearly disturbed his dreams. He snuffled softly into his pillow and I felt my heart smile in a way Rose could rarely make it.  
I don't know why, but I walked over to his bed and watched him sleep for a minute. I pushed his fringe out of his face and tucked the covers back up to his chin where they had been disturbed thanks to my little shoe-throwing episode. I stood, watching over him.  
I snapped myself out of my trance and walked back over to my own bed, yanking my shirt off. I pulled on some silky green pajama bottoms. I felt too hot for a top.  
I slid under the smooth silver-and-green covers and stared up into the hangings of my four poster bed, searching for answers in the darkness.  
I don't know how long I lay there like a corpse before the dark, soft tendrils of sleep finally claimed me.


	2. Delphi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delphi has escaped Azkaban and Hogwarts has just found out

Albus POV

It’s the next day when the paper arrives, I walked into the great hall and saw a what could only be described as sheer panic. Everyone one edge, in front of the Daily Prophet. Wondering what all the fuss was about, I leant over to a group of people to read the article to find they all looked at me and shrunk away. This was odd I thought, but nowhere near as bad as the article itself. 

**DELPHINI RIDDLE ESCAPES FROM AZKABAN**

**Yes, you heard it here first folks, young Delphini Riddle, infamous for being the daughter to Lord Voldemort and her quest last year to bring him back has escaped from Azkaban. Our sources believe she is moving up the country to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to meet Albus Potter, son of Harry Potter and Scorpius Malfoy, son to former Death Eater who both played vital roles in her quest last year.**

**At half past three this morning, the Dementors were recorded by nearby mermaids, as being extremely unsettled and drifting father and father from Azkaban, much to the other prisoners’ glee. It was another two hours before any of these mermaids reached the Ministry of Magic and our sources, giving the news that the witch had escaped.  
She was seen by the Dementors swimming on some sort of raft made from tree logs with her wand, stolen from its safe in the prison, casting away Dementors one at a time. As stated before, our sources tell us she is headed North to Hogwarts and we warn all pupils and parents reading this to make sure you or your children are as safe as possible. We suspect she wishes to find Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy whom she roped into her adventure last winter, whether she hopes to convince these two of her innocence or to harm the boys is unclear, it is advised for pupils to stay away from these two individuals as well if they value their safety as this witch has proven she will kill when necessary.**

It all made sense why they had shrunk away before after all the Prophet had downright told them to. This, however, wasn’t my first thought, no that was closer to the sound of a highland goat screaming. Delphi wasn’t here to convince us she was in the right I knew for certain, no her plan for us was somewhat darker and more worrying. An awful lot more worrying.   
I then realised that I’d yet to see Scorpius that day and that he must feel even more isolated than me, especially as the Prophet had just called him “Son to a former Death Eater”. I thought this until I saw him with Rose, my cousin Rose Granger-Weasley that was. Comforting him and talking to him, trying to console him. For some reason, this upset me and I left the hall, excusing myself saying I had to write to my dad to explain the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter today, sorry folks. Future chapters will be longer.


	3. The Aftermath (Scorpius)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scorpius, having become estranged from Albus, feels he needs to give something back to Rose for all her support, but it goes horribly wrong.  
> Hi guys!! It feels like it's been ages since we last updated even though it hasn't but have been crazy busy and only had a chance to write just now. The chapter sort of highlights how much of a Scorose shipper I'm NOT. Hope you enjoy! Xx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note- ok there's a sort of sex reference in this, but I've chosen not to rate it mature because the furthest any relationship will go in this series is kissing. Just to be clear, they were NVR going to actually have sex. You will see what I mean. But if you're uncomfortable with any sort of reference, you might want to skip the last bit of this. (Sorry!)

I was numb to the students crowded round the Prophet, their gawping faces turned toward me for a reaction. How could this have happened? First Sirius Black (though I knew he was truly innocent), then the mass breakout of ten infamous Death Eaters, one of which was Delphi's mother, Bellatrix Lestrange, and now this- why did they still trust the Dementors when the safety of our community had been put at risk so many times?  
Feeling a hand on my elbow, I turned. Rose was there, her face stony. This was, after all, the witch who had in effect led me and Albus to almost permanently wipe out her existence- twice. She shot a lasering look at the throng of students around me, very effectively giving us space.  
"Are you okay?"  
I shook my head, unable to speak. I didn't care what I'd been thinking about her last night. I was so grateful for the support.  
"Need to take a walk?"  
I nodded.  
She wrapped some toast in a napkin, with a few rashers of bacon, then took my hand and pulled me towards the doors out of the Great Hall. The crowd parted apprehensively as we walked through it.  
It was about a second later that I remembered Albus. I jerked to a halt, looking back over the sea of heads until I saw a crowd almost the size of the one around me. At its centre was a boy trying to shove through, presumably to escape- then he looked up and his green eyes met mine. We both froze and he looked like he might be about to move towards me- then he saw Rose already by my side, and our interlinked hands. His expression darkened and he turned away, the crowd parting to let him through as he made for the doors on the other side of the Hall. I suddenly felt as though Rose's hand was burning mine the same way my heart burned at that moment, and wrenched it free of her grasp. I shoved through the crowd, feeling no regret for leaving my 'beloved girlfriend' and only a desire to get to Albus. I had Rose to comfort me, but who was going to comfort Al?  
The crowd was denser now and a few tried to stop me, to press their questions upon me. But it didn't seem to occur to them that I knew just as little as them. Nobody was at their house tables and the crowd was thick and knotted and unorganised. I could hear a girl crying, teachers trying to restore order, boys yelling. Everyone was terrified. But it was all irrelevant. The crowd wouldn't part as it had before and I was struggling to get through. I could hear Rose calling behind me but I didn't turn back.  
When I finally reached the doors I burst through them and found that the crowd was just as thick here. I grabbed a statue and pulled myself up onto the base, ignoring the whispers and stares. I craned my neck and scanned the crowd for the messy dark hair and pale face I knew would be tinged red by the unwanted attention. But Albus was nowhere to be seen. I rubbed my ear and scrubbed a hand across my face, frustrated. I wanted to talk to him- needed to talk to him. Needed him.  
I eventually turned back to head back through to Rose. But the crowd was so thick I could barely move, let alone see her. The crowds and other people blocked me off from Rose, and Rose and my being with her blocked me off from Albus.  
I was alone.  
XxXxXxX

It was three days since the paper had been published. The first time I had seen Albus then was later that day. We had both been called to the Headmistress's office to go over the new security arrangements as officially endangered minors. "In light of recent events" we would be escorted between classes by a teacher, we would go everywhere with at least two other students if a teacher was unavailable. A panic button would be installed in all the dormitories- all it took was for any spell to hit it and a teacher would be summoned to the space. No student was allowed out of the castle after dark. We weren't allowed into Hogsmeade- probably just as well, as the place would be swarming with Dementors and neither of us were in any mood to relive our worst moments.  
Throughout this Albus sat hunched over, clasped hands in his lap and elbows on his knees which were wide apart. He stared straight ahead, a deadened, glazed look in his eyes. He never once looked at me and only said "Yes, Professor" when it seemed suitable. On the way back to the Slytherin common room, he stared straight ahead as he had in the office and wouldn't talk to me, then when we got back to the common room he disappeared straight up to the staircase to the dormitory. I didn't follow- I recognised that look in his eyes, the look of somebody who desperately needed companionship but at the same time needed to be alone. I knew it because I had worn it on my face for so long after my mother's death. When I went up later, I found him lying back on his bed staring up at the hangings, and strongly suspected he had been there, in shock, since he had first come up. He looked at me so desperately when I first came in I wondered if I was forgiven- silly of me, because I'd done nothing wrong. But then he snapped his gaze back to his knees. We didn't really talk after that. Not from that moment.  
XxXxXxX  
Now I sat on a mullioned windowsill with Rose, tracing snowflakes as they made their gentle, meandering way from the sky. It was Hogsmeade weekend and due to my security ban Rose insisted on staying with me, knowing things with me and Albus were beyond weird. I felt my heart twist at the image of him wandering the halls alone, searching for the answers to the questions that were still only part written.  
How...  
Why...  
Why me.....  
Why us?  
I stared out at the snow, sort of numbly feeling Rose's fingers in mine. I'd had to solely rely on her these past few days. I had no idea how long we'd sat here, but I knew I'd come to try and find a sort of peace. It wasn't working. I was just pushing the worries down under a blanket of fake tranquility and by doing so increasing the pressure in my head.  
I stood up, pulling Rose with me.  
I needed something new to worry about. To take me away, and who better than her?  
"What are you doing?" Rose asked, sounding like she was fighting to keep her voice neutral. Was she afraid? Or excited?  
"I think we should go somewhere else" I said, "more private."  
I smiled at her, trying to make it like I used to, to please her again. This was what she'd wanted anyway, wasn't it?  
Wasn't it?  
She smiled back at me and I pushed back my doubts. Of course it was. She loved me.  
"More private." I repeated, even though there were only about three other people in the whole castle. "More... romantic."  
She blushed and smiled, a little triumphant smile, pushing her hair out of her face, and I knew I'd said the right thing.  
"I know somewhere we could go." she muttered softly, squeezing my hand tighter. She started to walk, pulling me with her. Rose lead me along twisting, claustrophobic corridors and narrow, dangerous staircases, to places I'd never even been before. We ended up in a room I'd never known existed. I figured it couldn't be in the dungeons because soft grey light streamed through the windows. But the panes were cracked and a yellow blur was creeping in from the edges, plus the only furniture was dusty and creaky-looking, so I'd say Rose was one of the few people who knew about it.  
"I haven't been in here in a long time," she said, as though reading my thoughts, "but I think it's still safe."  
I nodded. She was still at my side and our hands were still clenched. Neither of us was looking at the other. I could feel sweat on my palm but didn't know whether it was mine or hers.  
What now?  
I looked back at the sofa I had noticed earlier. It sat against the wall in the middle of the back of the echoey space. It had a hard, plush red velvet seat and was studded with little gold domes. I could tell she'd seen it too. I dropped her hand and walked forward.  
"Scorpius?"  
I put a finger to my lips and smiled encouragingly, motioning for her to stay put. I brushed the dust off the seat which seemed too big to be just a chair, but sofa was a big word for it too. Love seat, I thought, heart in my mouth, it's called a love seat. It hit me what I was doing, what I'd been trying to avoid, and kept brushing the dust. It seemed chivalrous to make it clean for my girlfriend. We both stepped towards each other then stopped uncertainly, frozen a couple of inches apart in the stream of ghostly light. I felt my heart throwing itself around, uncertain where it wanted to be, and I cut it off. I was doing the right thing, the good thing. I saw her close her eyes, and I closed mine too. I leant forward slowly until our foreheads touched and found her hands, but they still lay at our sides. I stepped backwards, still feeling her with me, until the seat knocked my knees out from under me. Our eyes jerked open as we toppled in a heap on top of each other. She laughed, and I tried to as well. With her sat half on top of me, I ran a hand through her hair, coming to rest at the nape of her neck. Her skin felt smooth. Fake.  
Fake, fake, fake, it was all fake, I was fake... this was fake, a bad idea...  
But I didn't stop now, couldn't and didn't feel it would be a good thing to do. I rested my fingers on her neck and my other hand on her back, light as a sigh. She was warm and alive while I felt cold and scared inside. I felt her arms link around my waist, pulling me in so close I could smell her perfume, and I knew the moment had come.  
I used my hands to hold her in closer to me, waiting until our faces were just an inch apart before closing my eyes. I'd seen her close hers, so I just followed her lead. She was better at this than me, but she'd done it before after all.  
Then I felt her lips touch mine. Just the tips at first, then she moved her head so her whole mouth was touching mine. Not knowing what to do, I stuck my mouth out slightly so it was more... accessible? She sighed and I felt her mouth smile. Then her lips opened and coaxed mine open with them. I was such a novice, I'd only read about this sort of stuff!  
Bad idea, this was a bad idea...  
Guts squirming, I thought of the novels I'd read to get an idea of what love should feel like- how I'd recognise it if I ever came across it- and thought I knew what to do. I stretched out my tongue and moved it into her mouth. This was gross! Why would anyone do it? I felt her wriggle with pleasure and I moved my tongue round a bit more. Hers softly stroked my mouth, and it felt sort of nice, but not like it was going to seduce me into marriage. Just nicely tickly. I was searching for ideas about the next logical step- I hadn't expected to make it this far without panicking and passing out- and sort of moved my hands lower down, to her waist. It was like her skin was prickling my hands, and all I wanted was to move away. This was wrong. But I kept going for her sake, sort of stroking her and tilting my head. I needed to come up for air, so I pulled back briefly and took a breath, opening my eyes, but I just saw that hers were still closed, so I closed mine again. Then she lunged forward and put her mouth back on mine - oh, ok, we were still at it apparently- and I resumed my stiff routine. Then one of her hands disappeared from me, but the other still kept holding me and her mouth kept going like it was trying to suck me away, so I carried on too. It felt like she was rummaging around for something, so I just kept quiet. I felt my heart thrumming, but other than that I was void of emotion. Try as I might, I couldn't feel anything real. I felt almost bored. Why was I like this, for god's sake?  
Rose was still rummaging around, and I became vaguely curious. What was she looking for? Then I felt it- her wand. She tapped me with it playfully and then all at once she twisted so she was on top of me! What?? I was sort of curious to see what this was all about so I kept going, adjusting my arms around her, and I felt the back of the sofa depress slightly next to me, like she was poking her wand into it. Rose's lips left mine but she was still practically crushing me.Then, all of a sudden, the back of the sofa started tilting backwards. I could feel it becoming plusher and softer under me and I was so confused I opened my eyes.  
Rose was craning to the side, frowning over at her wand, which was apparently causing the sofa to flatten. Four poles sprouted from my peripheral vision and a canopy knitted itself together above them, as the sofa reclined still further. Then my feet were pushed up by the same material I was lying on, and my head was raised by something soft. I watched this all happen in a dazed, drunken trance. So immersed was Rose in her spellwork she hadn't seen my open eyes. Therefore, she didn't know I was awake as I watched her wand wave and from the tip blossomed a silky blanket-like thing, which hovered above up by the canopy and then fell on top of us. Then Rose turned to pull me upright and saw I was awake already. She was smiling as she pulled me into a sitting position, her on top of me, as though she had given me the most wonderful surprise in the world. My sleepy mind took in the silky coverlet, the white pillows, the hangings overhead, the four posts, but didn't put them all together until I felt Rose loop her arms round me and pull me down under the covers. As the world tilted backwards and I collapsed, feeling springs creak under me, I knew I was lying down. Lying down.  
And that's when it hit me.  
Rose had turned the sofa into a BED!  
I was instantly snapped out of my trance. I pulled my mouth back from Rose's- I hadn't even realised they'd reconnected, that's how out of it I'd been- and pushed myself back, falling out of the bed. I saw Rose's arms and lips suspended comically where I'd left them, but nothing was funny. My dreamlike trance had turned into a nightmare.  
I scrambled to my feet, heart thundering against my ribs as I took in the scene she'd set for what she thought I wanted. The posts of the bed were twisted and elaborate and the pillows and mattress were plush. She really was an amazing witch, but she'd totally misunderstood me. Wow, I must have been a much better actor than I'd reckoned for her to think I wanted THAT. I'd been practically repelled by her the whole time, now I thought about it. It had all been so uncomfortable and unnatural and wrong, and as our memories flashed in front of me, I was forced to ask myself- had it ever actually been right?  
Our whole relationship, part of me had been holding back, and I had had an almost constant feeling that I was just doing this for show. The crowds loved us together, and for Rose it seemed genuine- she'd literally just tried to get me in bed! I guessed I would never know whether she'd done that for sex, or just for extra comfort- knowing her, I actually thought now that it was probably the latter. Rose was so kind, she'd never take that big a step without my consent. Had I hugely overreacted? But I'd been so scared! Why had I been in this relationship in the first place again? Maybe part of it was to bring me closer to Albus and his family- well, that backfired! Oh my god, ALBUS! What would he think if he was here? I never, ever would have done it if I'd thought of that. I just kissed Rose! I just kissed his cousin! A thousand thoughts smashed through my brain. Part of me thought that I'd actually rather I had just been kissing Albus. It was a big part of me.  
I snapped back to the present. Rose was staring at me, horrified.  
"I'm so sorry, Scorpius- I thought- it would be more comfy- I didn't want- THAT- I'm so sorry-honestly I swear I didn't mean I wanted-"  
I was actually pretty sure I believed her, but she still shouldn't have done it. I cut off her babbling.  
"I have to go, Rose."  
"Don't!"  
"I have to!"  
I turned away and made for the door. From behind I heard her voice.  
"Are we done, Scorpius? Have I ruined it? Is it over?"  
Her voice was shaky and cracked, and I just couldn't find the heart to tell her what I'd just realised- we couldn't be finished, because we'd never even got started.  
I walked out.  
Then I ran.


	4. You and I...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cloaked figure is spotted in the grounds.  
> Albus admits why he has avoided Scorpius.  
> Scorpius and Albus officially hug now  
> And one more thing..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written JOINTLY by both authors.

**SCORPIUS POV**  
  
“Well,” I thought “that was… something?”. I wasn’t quite sure what to do, both the whole Rose thing and the quite startling realisation I had come to about the boy I considered my, and I hoped he still considered me his, best friend. I didn’t exactly think it was normal to want to kiss your best friend whilst escaping from said friend’s cousin. So yes, all things considered it defiantly was a “something”.  
I ran through the Hogwarts hallways, not even glancing to check where I was, that was until I stopped and found myself outside the library. In the setting sun the room looked so serene, so peaceful and exactly what I was looking for. The shelves lined with books whose topics ranged from “How to tickle a sleeping dragon and avoid 3rd degree burns” to “Hogwarts for muggles”, the latter of which, made little sense and didn’t seem the type of book many would read.  
I strolled through shelves and shelves of books, deciding to hide out here till I knew Rose was definitely gone, settling with a leather bound book on the second wizarding war. It was a battered copy, as it would be what with the event being such a huge deal. I often avoided reading anything about the war as the Malfoys didn’t exactly come off too well, but for some reason, today seemed the perfect day to read about the Potters.  
I’d just settled down in the comfy armchair at the back of the room when I heard a rustling, just Mrs Norris knocking over some parchment I presumed. Not a minute after the last noise, it happened again except this time accompanied by a loud “Ow”. So probably not Mrs Norris. I turned and there, I saw Albus.  
Shock raced through my veins, electrifying my blood. Albus! And it looked like he was there by choice- but by the awkward look on his face, not sure why. He ran a hand through his hair and it ruffled messily. Yep, he was uncomfortable. I had no idea what to do or say so we both stood shifting from foot to foot, until we fell into sync and gradually started to smile as we moved from side to side in total unison. I realised Albus was moving nearer to me and so I moved forward too. We carried on, grinning, until Albus tripped over his own feet and stumbled into me. My face whooshed red, but I caught him and we started laughing so hard and it felt so good, just like old times.  
When we were done, we both suddenly looked each other in the eye and just didn't feel like laughing any more. I opened my mouth at the same moment he did.  
"I'm sor-"  
He laughed. "You first."  
I half smiled and took a deep breath.  
"I'm sorry, Albus. I've shut you out and at the time I needed you most, just because of my stupid pride. I replaced you with my cousin but it went horribly wrong... and I've missed you so much but owing to a shortage of pepper imps and crippling anxiety I had no idea how to get you back."  
My gaze slid over his face.  
"I'm sorry."  
Albus watched me solemnly. My heart was still, apart from a few rebellious tendrils which reached out to him. The seconds stretched and then finally his composure wobbled and he crumpled. A single tear leaked out of his eye.  
"Albus!"  
I went straight to him. My arms wrapped him and he buried his face in my shoulder.  
"I'm s-sorry Scorpius..."  
"Shhh..."   
"But.."  
"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm here now."   
And I rocked him until his tears stopped and we collapsed into our old armchairs. The ones we always used to sit in together. He sniffed and rubbed his eyes.  
"I'm ok. But I really am sorry, Scor. I shut you out totally and abandoned you, and I never should have. I was just cutting off my nose to spite my face, it was my stupid pride, and you seemed so happy with Rose I didn't want to ruin it, and I thought- I thought-" he broke off.  
"You thought?" I promoted gently.  
He shook his head. "Doesn't matter."  
"Well, at least you thought!" I joked. He smiled.  
"So we're good again?"   
He nodded his confirmation.   
"We're definitely good again."  
Just then the bell rang. Curfew. Al scowled.   
I knew what he was thinking.   
"It's to protect us, Al."  
"I hate it. It's just more unwanted attention."  
I knew I'd never convince him otherwise, so we stood up and I led him silently back to the dorm. Just before we entered the common room, he stopped and pulled out his wand. He closed his eyes and the flaky skin round his eyes dried and resumed its ordinary look, clear and slightly tanned, but not red or swollen.  
"How did you-"  
"I've had to practice lately." he interrupted me mid thought.  
"I didn't know you'd been crying..."  
"That's because I've got really good at them."  
I nodded and we headed in.

**NEUTRAL PERSPECTIVE**

The grounds were silent. The normally radiant lawns were devoid of life but for the three watchmen on duty that night.  
They were unaware of the figure crouching in the bushes. It pulled its hood over its eyes and raised its hand, a pale green flame flickering in the palm. It surveyed the terrain and eyed up the three watchmen.  
Should it move? Was now the time?  
It thought of its target, sleeping soundly in the dormitory under the warmly coloured covers, and compared it to the ones the rest of the world thought needed protecting.  
But they didn't- yet. That would come later.

The watchman raised his lantern. He saw the faint green light in the bushes. He called over to his compatriot-  
"You see that?"  
The other man frowned and raised his own light. Then he nodded and stepped forward, drawing his wand.  
It all happened at once.  
The light was extinguished just as an eerie scream hovered in the air and the ground rippled. The men were knocked to the ground and the lanterns went out. Their shouts were heard by nobody but the mysterious figure.  
When the tremors stopped, the men regained their feet and ran to the castle, calling for help. Three on-site Aurors emerged and the team of six ran to the site where the light had been.  
Six highly trained wizards searched the forest for six hours.  
But they couldn't find the figure.  
If they had just looked up, they would have seen it sitting quite still in a tree, until it rose and disappeared into the air. Now wasn't the moment, but it would try again.  
                                              ALBUS POV  
At breakfast the next morning, whispers shuddered the table as I sat down next to Scorpius. I assumed this was due to our new apparent truce, but Scorpius was even more bloodless than usual.  
"What's up?" I asked, piling a stack of toast onto my plate and reaching for the butter. Nothing could dent my good mood now we were back together.  
Together... I wondered....  
Another time, I thought. Another place, you and I...  
I was snapped from my thoughts by the newspaper Scorpius smoothed out in front of me.  
The headline read-  
 **FIGURE SPOTTED IN THE GROUNDS AT HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**  
  
Fear gripped me through all my lessons that day.  
Tremors in the ground. A green light- like that which killed Craig. A cloaked figure, who then disappeared without a trace.  
Who else could it have been?  
Me and Scorpius were in more danger than ever.

 **ROSE POV**  
I had to talk to him.  
I'd messed up, I knew that much. And he had Albus now. But he could at least give me another chance. He owed me that much! Did he want it? I wasn't sure. I didn't transfigure the sofa for THAT- I just hoped he knew that. But now I was going to find him. It was a weirdly warm evening and perfect for a romantic reunion. We could do this, be the perfect couple again. I reckoned I knew where to find him, if he was with Albus.  
They'd both always loved the library.

**ALBUS POV**

The library was largely deserted. So close to curfew, few bothered to be out. Only me and Al were in this section, reading up on self defence techniques. Call us paranoid, but the Serpent Queen- as the press was calling her- was said to be after us. So if paranoid was what it took to survive, paranoid we would be. After a few hours, Scorpius stretched and stood.  
"We should head back soon."  
I groaned.   
"I hate the common room at the minute. Green and silver don't soothe me any more."  
Scorpius was looking distinctly uncomfortable. He messed up his hair, a little thing both of us did which made it easy to tell we were on the verge of admitting something. Everyone was heading off and we were totally alone in the whole library.  
"What's up, Scorp? Whatever it is, just ask me. I'll answer."  
He bit his lip. "You're sure?"  
"Of course!"  
"You know yesterday..." he tailed off, then gathered himself and started again. "You know yesterday, you said when you were listing all your reasons for distancing yourself from me, you cut yourself off. What were you about to say?"  
My stomach twisted. I didn't really want to admit it.  
"You promised to answer," he reminded me gently.  
I took a deep breath.  
"Well, honestly, Scorpius... I thought it would be safer for you away from me. Delphi wants me mostly. I'm the one who opened the grate, the one who was most vulnerable to her, the one who screwed it all up for her. And I thought she was most likely to come for me, and if you weren't with me when it happened, the maybe..." I couldn't go on. How could I describe how I'd feel if that happened?  
I stood there, ashamed. What should I say now?  
Then I felt Scorpius's arms round me. I was too shocked to say anything as he pulled me close and rested his forehead against mine. Then I wrapped my arms back around him and suddenly our faces were inches apart. His heart beat against mine, and they were in perfect unison. I looked into his eyes and knew I was right where I wanted to be.  
"So I guess we officially hug now." he muttered, smiling.  
And I knew what I had to say. I was full of golden light, courage, and I did it before I backed out.  
"Maybe that's not all we do."  
Then I saw the realisation in his eyes, just as they closed. I shut mine. Then our faces moved forward at the exact same time and our lips touched.  
 **ROSE POV**  
I rounded the corner and entered the library. I then started winding my way through the aisles, trying to find them.  
 **ALBUS AND SCORPIUS**

I was surprised, but not unpleasantly. My brain was numbed, but I didn't want it to stop...

 _Albus tilted his head and the edges of his lips brushed mine. Then the whole of his mouth was touching mine_.

Scorpius was kissing me back. I was sort of taken aback by this turn of events in the first place, but that was the most surprising bit of all.   
He was kissing me back.

_Albus' mouth was soft. I'd expected it to be hard. He tasted of ash and we were so connected. But it still wasn't enough. I tightened my arms and deepened the kiss._

I felt Scorpius's mouth move with mine, opening. His tongue softly stroked along my bottom lip and felt soft and warm. I tingled with pleasure and let out a little moan, kissing him even harder.

_This was nothing like Rose. I was content and so happy. I was his, it was coming true. We were melting together until we were one. The rest of the world was irrelevant._

Scorpius moved.

 _I moved_.

He started to kiss all around my face.

 _My lips stroked Al's skin, and after a second I felt him start to do the same_.

He nibbled my skin and his velvety mouth sucked at my cheek. I kissed him back.  
  
_The rest of the world was falling away and I was kissing Albus. It would all be ok. I had him. It was finally coming true._

It was finally coming true!

_We were together..._

Together....

_Together...._

"Scorpius?"  
I heard a voice I recognised and I could tell he'd heard it too.

  
_Oh no, God no..._

  
Rose stood at the end of the aisle.  
 **ROSE POV**  
My mind was spinning. I was going to be sick. My boyfriend, or ex boyfriend, stood at the other end of the shelf with my cousin in his arms. He was staring at me, flushed but somehow also pale. He and Albus staggered back from each other as though it could make me unsee what I'd just seen.  
My cousin kissing my boyfriend...  
 **ALBUS POV**  
It's not what it looks like....  
It's exactly what it looks like.  
Someone say something! Anything! How could this happen? My fantasy was blown away and as Scorpius had stumbled away from me, making an almost imperceptible movement toward Rose, I had felt my heart crack in two.  
Scorpius was stood just apart from me with his hands hanging by his sides, his hair rumpled. How long had we stood, kissing?  
Kissing...  
We had kissed...  
Oh wow.  
Not wow, Al! NOT WOW! Your cousin just caught her boyfriend cheating on her with his best friend. With me!  
Another boy!   
What did I do?  
My question was answered for me.  
Rose let out a tiny, choking sob and a tear rolled down her cheek.  
Scorpius was motionless. I had to act.  
"Oh no, Rose..."  
I stepped towards her and she stumbled back.  
"Don't come near me!"  
I stopped.  
She looked from me to Scorpius. Something in her seemed to stiffen and break all at once.  
"Never come near me again."  
She turned and ran away, and I heard her sobs echo back down the aisles.  
I looked at Scorpius and we were frozen. Then he tore his eyes away from me and I felt the wall come up all over again.  
"Rose, wait!"  
He tore away down the corridor and then stopped at the end. He turned back and looked at me.  
"Albus..."But what was meant to follow? He didn't know. Nor did I.  
He turned back and ran away and I felt him take a piece of me with him.


	5. Christmas- Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus and Scorpius set off for the Christmas holidays, leaving the wreckage of what happened behind them. But it's still with them.  
> Hey guys! This chapter is a bit of a filler but I had very little time. Part 2 of this chapter will hopefully be long (no promises though because I don't want to disappoint) and I really hope you enjoy this one. We meet the rest of the potters for the first time as well.

I twisted my feet into the covers and rolled over, staring up at the emerald hangings. My thumb was in between the pages of the book in my hand, a crime thriller. I had started on an afternoon of studying, with a hard cover Defence textbook, but had eventually stopped when I came to the section on the Cruciatus Curse. It described the effects- extreme, torturous pain- but it didn't do the curse justice, not at all. I would never, ever forget how it felt, collapsed on the floor of a dark maze twenty-six years ago, as Albus knelt by my side in tears and Delphi tortured me to convince him to join her plot to kill his father. I felt his tears drop onto my skin and it was the only thing that soothed the burning, white-hot pain that seared my whole body. Every fibre of me had been on fire. It was a terror I had only experienced once- and hoped never to experience again. I could still see in my mind's eye Albus knelt by me as I writhed and screamed on the ground. That maze still haunted my nightmares- those few days did. Craig blasted away forever by the jet of green light. Albus falling through the air from the roof of the Hogwarts Express. Not knowing whether he'd land safely. Albus's sunken eyes and sallow skin. Not knowing whether I'd ever have my best friend back. The Dementors by the lake in Voldemort's world. Albus's aunt and uncle having their souls sucked from them. My classmates, my FRIENDS casually walking around firing off Unforgivables. Albus not existing. Watching Albus crawl up through the grate into the room with a murderer, not knowing whether he would return. Whether I'd ever see him again.  
I would never, ever forget how that had felt,  
I stroked the pages of my book, making them rustle. I'd crumpled them and creased them- a bad habit I'd never been able to get rid of. All my books were well-thumbed, bent and crumpled, but nobody else saw it as a sign of familiarity and love as I did. They just thought I was abusing them. And maybe I was, but without realising it. Screwing it all up. Satisfying myself at the time but ruining everything in the long run.  
Now why did that sound familiar?  
I sat up, extracting myself from the covers. I folded the corner of my book and tossed it into my suitcase. The Hogwarts Express left in three hours and I still hadn't packed. Everyone else had- their cases packed to bursting, zipped up and lent neatly against the ends of their beds for the porters to pick up. Even Albus- and he was usually still frantically stuffing clothes into his case when the porters arrived.   
Maybe he just couldn't wait to get away from me.  
My heart twisted and I crouched down, gathering a random armful of clothes and thrusting them in in no particular order. I continued in this vein until I slammed the lid down perhaps with more force than necessary. Thoughts of Albus always made my blood race. With anger? Or with something else?  
It didn't seem I'd ever know now, us being unable to look each other in the eye. I wanted to say I was ashamed- but I wasn't. In a heartbeat I'd do it all again- and more. The only thing I'd change would be to raise a wall between us and the rest of the world so Rose would never have come in. Who knew what would have happened if she hadn't?  
My efforts to talk to her afterwards proved fruitless. She had crawled away in a mess of messy hair and hysterical tears. The last I saw of her was a mane of bushy hair disappearing round the corner and into the Fat Lady.  
The portrait had swung round to reveal a stern face staring at me. God knows what I must have looked like- flushed, hair and clothes rumpled, panting, mouth open. She shook her head sadly.  
"I told you to tell her, Scorpius. You should have told both of them. And now she's found out the hard way."  
I opened my mouth to ask about 'both of them' but I was stopped by her explanation  
"I was a Legilimens in my time." She smiled sadly.  
"They mixed my blood with the paint so the trait would carry on even after death. Students have been coming to me for readings- advice on their deepest desires- for centuries, because I can see what they really want. Your emotions are so potent I'd be able to see them with a blindfold."  
I stared at her.  
"Then what do I want? What do I want from... Rose? Or Albus? WHO do I want?"  
She smiled again, her eyes soft.  
"Scorpius, I don't think you need to be a Legilimens to see that."

That conversation swirled in my head. Who did I want? Rose? The perfect girlfriend, the happy ending. Or Albus. Disturbed, unstable. A BOY.   
Or you could put it another way.  
Rose, the self-centred, cheerleading teacher's pet- although that was a harsh description. A happy ending-but someone else's. Not mine.  
Rose- or Albus.  
Albus- my best friend, who had been there for me since I was eleven, who had held me as I cried myself to sleep, had my back, never once believed the rumours about me, never doubted me. Who I had loved from the outset. Who I had known on sight liked me back. Who had had to cope with a family legacy probably even more pressurising than mine. Who had been willing to die to save me. Who knew me inside out. Who I knew inside out. Who I had hugged, and felt so happy and RIGHT. Who I had kissed... and felt like I had never been happier in my entire life.  
The moment our lips had touched was one of the best things I can remember- how soft his mouth was, how warm, how he instantly tightened his arms and how I'd felt so safe there. How I'd kissed him back. How I'd felt the only place I belonged was right there with him.  
But now it wouldn't happen again.  
Since I'd foolishly sprinted out after Rose, I'd barely spoken to him. Why had I even chased her? For old times' sake? To apologise, when I wasn't even sorry? I honestly had no idea. I should have just stepped back to where I'd been and carried on as we'd left off. I should have gone up to Rose the next day and spoken to her properly. I should have done a million things differently. But now it was too late. If only I'd written the script in pencil. I could've gone back and rubbed out bits, get rid of all the evidence and keep up the charade and negotiate my way to a happy ending. Or st least the best ending. But I'd done everything in indelible ink and I could cross it out and pretend it was never there all I wanted, but there were still traces and I couldn't rub out memories from the inside of other people's heads.

Two hours later, as I queued up for my carriage, we filed into uniform, alphabetical lines. Aimee Nandri and Terry Odoon behind me, I headed for the M-N-O-P carriage. I sat down, without really paying a thought to the letters on the outside, or what they meant. That was, until I saw a familiar pair of feet through my peripheral vision.  
Albus stood on the threshold of the carriage. He stared at me. I stared back. What was he thinking? It was impossible to tell. Then Nancy Purler shoved him forward impatiently and the moment was broken.  
We sat in silence on the road into hogsmeade. None of us moved until we pulled up at the station, and then it was as though none of us could wait to get out. For a horrible second I was pressed right up against Albus. I could feel his warmth through the jacket he only wore "when it was practically arctic" much to the despair of his mum, and feel the emotion radiating off him.   
As we were getting in the train, we were shoved to the back of the crowd, as we had never really been the strongest physically. Or anything-ly. We waited in heavy silence for the crowd to dissipate before Al finally put his foot aboard. Them he paused, as looked back over his shoulder as though about to say something, and in that moment I was able to read something in his eyes.  
Regret. Regret, and something more.   
Then he walked away down the train corridor as fast as his legs could take him.

ALBUS

I'd always enjoyed coming home for the holidays, and it was even better now I'd made peace with my dad. Then again, before I'd only disliked it because it meant parting with Scorpius, and now I couldn't wait to get away from him. Not for the reason you'd think though. I was just worried that if went near him again I'd upset Rose and make it all worse and ruin everything all over again. That night still felt like a dream.   
I was helped off the train by a tough, calloused hand, and then instantly pulled into a hug.  
"Hi Dad." I mumbled into his chest. Then I was ripped out of his embrace and enveloped in another hug, this time floral and soft. "Hi, mum."  
Then-"Could I breathe now, please?"  
Mum laughed and released me. "Good to have you back, Al."  
Dad grinned at me, clapping me on the shoulder a bit too hard. I was saved from further embarrassment by the arrival of James and Lily. James's Head Boy badge was hanging on by one pin and he was red in the face from pulling his trunk. This probably wasn't helped by Lily being sat on it, holding the handle of her trunk and pulling it along smugly. Having known them both for most of my life, I thought it a fair conclusion that James had absolutely no idea of his extra load.  
Lily jumped off before James could turn around and threw herself at mum. Mum shook her head fondly, amused, and hugged her back.   
"Ok there, Lulu?" Dad asked sarcastically. "Not too tired?"   
"Nah. My trunk was weirdly light today, no idea why. It was almost like someone else was pulling it for me." She shoved James out the way to get to dad and James moved to kiss Mum on the cheeks. He had to bend down to do that now. DOES HE EVER STOP GROWING? I wondered, disbelieving. James nodded to me and Lily threw a wink in my direction. Dad stood up, having recovered from the rugby tackle I hadn't even seen Lily administer. Mum slipped her fingers between mine- they were soft and white. She squeezed my hand and for the first time in a week the frothing and raging ocean in my brain calmed. Family, I thought, is not to be underestimated.

We all climbed into the car. Thanks to our doting parents, we each had a personalised seat. James's had a built in copy of Quidditch through the Ages, with moving photos included. It was insanely boring apart from that, like an office chair. Mine was dark green with a silky headrest, and plush cushions. It even reclined!  
And Lily's?  
Lily's was ridiculous. It was a full-on cubicle, the walls pasted with photos, and she'd hung velvet scarlet Gryffindor banners from the outside. She had a lock on the door. Due to Dad's Undetectable Extender, it was about six by four metres. Inside was a plush red armchair not unlike a throne. She had a thing not unlike a muggle games console, complete with a game of the design of Uncle Ron, FLYERS X FOUR. It was a four player quidditch simulator, and obviously much more realistic than muggle games- it was more than 3D. The figures actually came out and flew around you, little holograms. Last but not least, she had a pullout desk and ink pit for when she totally forgot her holiday essays until the ride back to King's Cross on the first of September- not at all an uncommon occurrence. Thanks to all this, our car was about the size of a minibus inside, though from the outside it looked exactly like a Ford Fiesta.   
Once we were all settled in our respective spaces- Mum and Dad's was a good sized sofa so they could cuddle up while dad drived- mum turned back to us all with a huge smile on her face.  
"So how was your term?" she asked, an expectant look in her eyes.  
As usual, Lily burst in with a hundred-mile-an-hour account of every single lesson she'd been too, James shrugged and half nodded, and I sat in silence. But this time not for the normal reason. This time because all my usual anecdotes to keep my parents happy involved Scorpius, or occasionally a little funny thing I'd noticed about Rose, or a tale to snitch on Lily, and I wasn't in the mood for any of them. Partly because I didn't want Lily to rip my throat out, likewise Rose, but mostly because I really, really, really didn't want to burst into tears. I couldn't believe how this term had started off so well and then gone so wrong- all in the last few days. What could I have said? "Well, Rose and Scorpius broke up because she caught me kissing him, and now I don't know what to say to my best friend, and I've no clue what to do about anything. Also, Rose hates me, so yeah." That'd go down great.  
I leaned back in my seat, pasting a smile on my face. Mum smiled back at me, fooled.  
Dad put the car in gear and we set off.


	6. Christmas- Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scorpius and Albus both have eventful Christmas dinners...  
> Hello! Back and fighting with this new chapter! Good news is my show will be this week so after that I won't be so busy anymore, and next week is the holidays so I'm hoping to update you guys loads then!  
> I hope you enjoy this Christmas episode even though it's not Christmas.

SCORPIUS

I straightened my metaphorical bow tie and took a deep breath. I was possibly the only kid in the world who hated Christmas dinner, because it never tasted the same without my mum cooking it. It always came out perfect- her bread sauce was to die for, and she could charm a turkey into a masterpiece, but maybe that was all because it was made with that most important of ingredients- love.  
That was what had been missing from my life lately. I'd had so much at the end of last year, the start of this year, from my dad, my girlfriend, Albus. And now I'd broken up with Rose, weirded out Albus, and I had no idea what was going on with my dad. I'd had this odd silence from him all last half term. His sporadic letters had been vague and danced around the point. It wasn't like him. When he'd greeted me at King's Cross, he'd looked so different. He'd put something in his hair so it was all puffy at the front, and he'd cut it around the sides so it was short and shiny. He had a couple of days' growth of beard shadowing his chin, immensely odd- he always liked to be pink- cheeked and prickle free. He was stood strangely too- he was upright as always, but he looked like he was trying to slouch. He had one hand in his pocket and one leg bent- like he was trying to be casual but wasn't sure how. He had this dopey, awkward smile on his face and his eyes had a slight shine to them. Weirdly, rather than assume he was happy to have me home, a weird sense of foreboding went down my spine. He never looked this open. What was up with him?  
He didn't let anything on. He continued to dress like a pop-star lumberjack, but there was no explanation. He maintained the weird look in his eye. Whenever I hinted curiosity at the changes, he'd shake his head, smiling. 'Just you wait and see', he'd say. 'It'll all become clear.'  
It really didn't. I had no clue what was going on. Even when he'd been depressed after Mum died he'd never acted this weird.

And now it was Christmas. I'd opened my presents this morning- nothing from Rose, unsurprisingly. Albus had given me a Sneakoscope with the simple note- _Merry Christmas. A._ My heart did a funny thing when I saw it. At least he'd given me a present- I'd given him a foot long bar of his favourite chocolate, Honeydukes whipped cream and raspberry. Me and Dad had had a joint package from his family as a whole, a brown paper parcel of home-made fudge. The Boy Who Lived had proved himself pretty apt at cookery over the years. I wondered if I'd get a parcel from them again after this year...  
I sighed and squared my shoulders in front of the mirror. Behind me was my meticulously tidy room. When I was thirteen my dad let me redecorate it, so instead of the previous sickly cream and blue it was a stony grey, with grey and white checked curtains and matching bedspread. I found it soothing.  
I myself was wearing a pair of faded, washed-out jeans, light blue and less ripped than worn. I also had my favourite grey sweater over the top for comfort, a soft cashmere thingy a bit more like a cardigan. But I never described at that- the word was a bit too feminine. I wasn't sexist- but I wasn't sure how my dad would react. I'd honestly never talked to him about my identity or sexuality or anything before. My hair was ashy blond and fell over my forehead- I'd brushed it, to look like I'd done _something_ to look presentable today. Satisfied-sort of- I headed down the cold stone steps to greet my dad and sit down. Get this whole meal over with so I could continue pretending to enjoy Christmas a bit more easily.  
That wasn't going to happen.  
My dad was stood ramrod straight at the end of the hall. His cheeks were pink and he was taking shaky breaths. I instantly hurried to him.  
"What's up, dad?"  
He jumped as though he hadn't noticed I was there, even though he must have heard me approach.  
"Sorry, Scorpius, I'm just a bit.... nervous."  
I didn't get it. It was just the two of us sat at the table, eating turkey and pulling crackers. It might not be the most exciting or enjoyable thing but it wasn't scary.  
I shook my head, not understanding.  
He took a deep breath.  
"I've got... a new friend coming for dinner today, Scorpius. They've been really really keen to meet you and I thought Christmas would be a nice time, but I don't want to seem nervous or odd, and I... look, Scorpius, please just be nice? You usually are, you're a great kid, but please, please, _engage in the conversation_. Do me proud, help me to be good..."  
There was a rushing noise in my ears. Dad had invited someone for dinner? Without telling me? Was this the big THING he'd been worried about?  
I was distracted by the clanging noise from the door. Through the old, frosted windows, I could see a human form. Dark. Thin. Who was it? Our old doorbell finally reached the end of its chimes. I could see the chain swinging from in the hall. Dad inhaled and smiled, clearly excited. He ran a hand through his hair and bounced on the balls of his feet.  
"That'll be her!" Scorpius, would you get it?"  
_Her.  
Her.  
Her.  
her._  
I lifted the latch with shaking hands and the heavy old oak door swung open, letting the figure into our house.  
The woman was tall and thin, wearing a long, sleek black jacket. It matched the cat-wing eyeliner flicking up at the sides of her eyes- which were jet black, unfathomable and with an enticing coldness. Her long hair was bright white- it was stick-straight without a wisp out of place. She held a bright red clutch and she smiled, showing rows of unnaturally white shiny teeth behind her blood-red lips. Her skin crinkled at her cheeks, alabaster smooth everywhere else.  
She was beautiful.  
But I couldn't help but be reminded of a Muggle storybook my mother had read me as a child- _mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all_ \- that had been the character's line. A black, evil queen- beautiful, almost the most lovely in the land. A beauty which masked her hollow soul.  
The next I knew I was enveloped in a hug. I was still, rooted to the spot. This intruder's bony, stiff arms dug into me and her bloody lips burrowed into my cheek. I pulled back almost instinctively, but she seemed unperturbed.  
"Scorpius, darling, I've heard so much about you! I've been simply BEGGING to meet you for so long, your wonderful father has told me so much- I'm sure we'll be SUCH wonderful friends-"  
The words were like lines in a play, said with enthusiasm, but as though the actress had learned them so well and heard them so often they had lost all meaning. They sounded unnatural and almost sinister.  
Then the imposter moved past me and slung her arms around my father's waist.  
The rushing in my ears intensified to a roar.  
My father kissed her on the lips. And not as though it were the first time. As though he'd done it before.  
They stood in the embrace for a few seconds, then my father seemed to remember I was there.  
"Scorpius, this is Agnes. I met her through my work- we've been seeing each other for a month of so- she works in the Department of Mysteries, she's done some work with dragons in Bulgaria, I thought you could talk about that-"  
"I'm sure we'll get acquainted over dinner, love." interrupted Agnes, smiling up at dad far too possessively. Dad smiled back uncertainly and then snapped out of his trance.  
"Scorpius? What do you say?"  
My lips moved numbly.  
"Very good to meet you Agnes. Shall I take your coat?"  
She simpered and then threw it at me. I caught it and carefully, slowly hung it on a hook next to the stairs. I still felt numb and so, so...  
_Betrayed_.  
My dad was with a woman. This woman was not my mother. This was new.  
This was wrong.  
I took a deep breath. _Family should be happy, Scorpius. Your father deserves to be happy. Do not mess this up for him_.  
I pasted a smile on my face and turned around to exchange pleasantries with my father's new ' _friend_ '.  
But they had already turned to head into dinner without me.

The conversation was insufferably slow. For me at least. My father and Agnes sat so close they were practically touching, exchanging inside jokes and opinions and I sat there, listening to her pass him poisonous gossip from her position within the Ministry.  
My father attempted to steer me into the conversation halfway through the turkey.  
"How's school, Scorpius? How's Albus?"  
I shrugged, my spoonful of stuffing pausing halfway to my plate.  
"Okay."  
Agnes's eyes flickered at Albus' name.  
"Not Albus POTTER?"  
"Yes" I said shortly, "but dad, I don't really want to talk about Al..bus right now." I nearly used his shortened name but it felt wrong.  
Agnes looked irritated but my father just moved it on.  
"So how's Leo? The rest of your classmates?"  
I shrugged again. "Good." Then I remembered a conversation prompter, something to move this torturous meal along.  
"Leo came out to the common room last week though."  
For some reason you could have heard a pin drop. My father winced and I suddenly knew something was very, very wrong.  
"Well, actually, erm, Scorpius-"  
"Another one!" Agnes said loudly, forcefully. l"What is with this generation and GAYNESS? They're turning up like bad pennies left, right, and centre- why- it's unnatural- my SISTER was one and I can tell you it didn't go well for her- no siree- my mother booted her out, she'd thought we'd SUPPORT her- huh! I don't understand it and I don't want to- even at work, in the MINISTRY-"  
I felt as though my insides had been yanked out and stuck in the freezer. _What?_  
My dad was turning steadily redder.  
"Now, Aggy, it's not as though SCORPIUS is gay- just his friend- not a problem- calm down--"  
"I never realised you felt that way, dad." I interrupted to hide my inner turmoil.  
I'd been planning to come out to my dad tonight- it was CHRISTMAS- I'd promised myself to tell him about Rose, Albus, EVERYTHING after Agnes had gone- now what?  
"Well, I, er, don't find it exactly horrible, Scorpius," Dad said, "it's just Agnes is very strongly religious and erm- she finds it odd-"  
"It's not even my religion," Agnes interrupted, "I just find it wrong... they'll dent the population growth-"  
"Yule log, anyone?"  
Dad leapt to his feet and scurried off.  
"Ooh, no, wait, I can help!" Agnes called meaningfully and tottered after him.  
I needed to go.  
"Dad, I might skip dessert. Is that ok? Thanks- it was great- I'm just full-"  
Dad emerged with Agnes hanging from his neck. A love bite was already forming on his jaw.  
"Go, Scorpius- that's fine-"  
He was yanked back into the kitchen.  
I carried on up the stairs and slumped on my bed, breathing heavily. I ran my fingers round the frame of Mum's portrait which I had on my bedside table.  
How could he replace my mother, my beautiful mother, his Astoria, with _her_?

ALBUS

The gravel crunched under the wheels. As dad ground the car to a halt, lily was already jumping out, her one and only short green dress clinging to her thighs and long red hair streaming out behind her. She jumped from the moving car without a second thought.  
Why wasn't I that brave?  
"LILY LUNA POTTER!" Mum screamed after her.  
I shook my head and clambered out. James was yawning and stretching behind me and Dad was already striding toward the teetering, rickety structure that was my grandparents' house.  
I'd always loved the Burrow. It just felt like such a huge part of my family's history, and almost like the Manor was Scorp's ancestral home, this was mine.  
In a way, me and Scorpius were actually related. Cedrella Black had married Septimius Weasley generations ago, and Septimius' descendant was my grandad Arthur. Meanwhile, one of the Blacks- Narcissa- had married Lucius Malfoy. They had given birth to Draco, Scorpius's Dad. Me and Scorpius once spent an afternoon sprawled on the floor in the library, trying to work out our exact relation. But we couldn't really find the correct term. It was something like eighty-eighth cousin four times removed, but we got muddled with the counting.  
The bit I tried not to think about was that Scorpius's great-aunt had eventually had an affair with the greatest Dark wizard of the century.  
Which had produced the woman who tried to kill us.  
Which made her our relative.

I grinned as I entered the kitchen. Looked like Nana had prepared as incredible a spread as normal. Around thirty people were seated at the massive table which filled the room- which had presumably been extended- and at the end of which was a huge Christmas tree. It was piled up to the first few branches with presents great and small- and even from here I could see about ten labelled with my name.  
Around the table were various divisions of the Weasley family. Charlie, still single. Bill and Fleur, with Victoire, Louis, Dominique and their altogether fourteen offspring. The six Weasley-Johnsons, grandchildren included. Percy and Audrey with their insanely boring kids. Us. And, last of all, the Granger-Weasleys.  
Rose latched eyes with me and I stared right back. I'd done nothing wrong. From what Scorpius had said, they'd been on their way out anyway.  
I'd done nothing wrong....  
Then I was torn away from Rose's laser gaze and into a crushing hug.  
"Hey, Nana" I mumbled.  
"Hello, sweetheart," she whispered in my ear.  
"Merry Christmas, Al," said Uncle Fred warmly.  
"Happy Christmas, Potters!" called the ensemble around the table.  
Apart from Rose.  
The hello-ings and greetings and heartfelt pleasantries went on for another few minutes, until Nana started fussing about the turkey going cold and the stuffing going stale and we all sat down to put her mind at ease. I found myself next to Grandpa. He was wrinkled, his hair receding even more- there were only a few ginger strands left now. It'd never lost his colour, just like him.  
Even despite his wheelchair.  
He hugged me close, and I felt the love radiate off him.  
"Merry Christmas, Grandpa."  
"Happy Christmas, Al." he whispered back, smiling.  
We all tucked in and I felt truly content for the first time in a long time. Christmas dinner at the Burrow had been a tradition since before James was born and it felt good to do something normal since everything lately.  
I ignored Rose.  
It was all great until the conversation turned to school. Lily and Hugo were sat across from us, as they had been ever since I could remember.  
"So how's my favourite Potter coping with third year?" Uncle Ron asked, ruffling Lily's hair. She wrinkled her nose.  
"It's ok, I guess. Though taking Divination was SUCH a mistake-" and she and Hugo launched into some anecdote about Professor Gonti predicting Hugo's death three different ways in the same lesson- "she must've been drunk-" but I couldn't concentrate on it. I was remembering me and Scorpius in Divination. In our third year. I'd hated Professor Gonti from the start- her silky voice, her irritating flouncy scarves, her eyes which bored into you. But I'd hated her even more after what had happened in our third Divination class. I still remembered her words..  
"And the Dark Lord still has descendants- they are rumoured. They deny it. But they could be in this very room..."  
And everyone had shifted to look at Scorpius. Gonti was a renowned Seer- which meant the story spread. It had made that week's Prophet Round-Up. It had meant a week of Scorpius not being able to sit in the Common Room. A week of him not being able to sleep, staying up to catch the students who kept vandalising his stuff. A week of whispers and stares and conspiracy theories, until the Prophet released an apology and reminder that Divination was not always right and we shouldn't believe all of it. But that barely quelled the rumours.  
I'd hated Professor Gonti ever since.  
Suddenly I need to breathe, thinking of Scorpius. I excused myself and headed out, feeling eyes on me as I left. I climbed to the very top of the house and sat, my feet hanging out between the bannister rods. Scorpius was always really pedantic about this- the but along the top wasn't the bannister, it was the _balustrade_ , the rods were bannisters, and God forbid anyone said anything different.  
Scorpius...  
What had I done?  
I remembered his lips on mine, his warmth. How happy I'd been. Us together...  
My thoughts were interrupted by footsteps.  
"We'll have to talk about it eventually, you know."  
My heart sank. For the second time in seven days, Rose had snuck up on me.  
I stood up.  
"What's there to say?"  
"How about SORRY?"  
Rose's voice grew hysterical. That hadn't taken long.  
"What do I need to say sorry for?"  
"You made my boyfriend cheat on me!"  
I half-smiled.  
"You should know by now, Rose, that NOBODY can make Scorpius do anything he doesn't want to do."  
I'd crossed a line.  
"You're saying Scorpius did it on PURPOSE?"  
"Well, it's difficult to ACCIDENTALLY start snogging someone, Rose!"  
"I can't believe this! You're just acknowledging that he started snogging you! SCORPIUS- YOU!"  
"And what's that supposed to mean?" I asked quietly, folding my arms.  
Rose nibbled her lip. I realised she hadn't thought that one through properly. But I didn't want to leave it.  
"Well- just that-"  
"I'm an idiot? A misfit? A BOY? What?"  
"No! Just that I didn't think you were- a good fit- together-"  
"When we've been best friends since we were eleven? When we've always been there for each other, read each other's thoughts? When we've shared a BED?"  
Ah. I shouldn't have said that.  
Rose wasn't speechless for long.  
"WHAT? It went that far? How long was he cheating?"  
"No, no, not like that- after his Mum died- he had nightmares, and after the other world- Voldemort's world- I mean he literally watched your parents have their souls sucked out- he needed me, Rose-"  
"Who's having their soul sucked out?" I heard my uncle call merrily. "Not my baby girl, I hope!"  
Then he came around the corner and took in Rose's tearstained face and my beetroot one. He didn't waste time.  
"HARRY! GIN! 'MIONE!"  
More footsteps. Jesus Christ, this was just Rose being a flipping drama queen. Was this necessary? My parents and my aunt reached the landing, Firewhisky in hand and out of breath. My dad took in the scene and Firewhisky spilled onto the landing as his hand dropped.  
"Al, what's going on?"  
"Ask Rose" I fired back, "I was just going to pee."  
"Seems pretty emotional for a bathroom break." ventured Aunt Hermione.  
Rose took a deep shuddering breath and I knew it was all going to come out.  
Literally.  
"HE MADE SCORPIUS CHEAT ON ME AND NOW I'M ALONE!" She burst into tears again.  
The adults looked perplexed. Uncle Ron crossed to put his arm round his distraught daughter.  
"Now, Rosie, Albus can't have made Scorpius cheat on you- I'm sorry that happened, very sorry, but you can't blame Al."  
"You don't UNDERSTAND!" Rose screamed, her voice cracking. "HE CHEATED ON ME WITH ALBUS!"  
There was a deafening silence.  
Then my dad moved to stand next to me. My mum came to my other side.  
They both took my hands. I felt a lump rise in my throat.  
_They know. They know, and they don't care._  
"Look, Rose," my dad began calmly, "I'm sorry Scorpius cheated on you. You are my niece and I love you and am extremely proud of you. But my son is a good person. My son would not intentionally upset you. If Scorpius did cheat on you- it won't be for no reason. It will be for his own happiness. And Albus and Scorpius-" and then the weirdest thing happened. He got all choked up and shut his eyes briefly. "Albus and Scorpius," he repeated, "are meant for each other." I felt tears in my eyes. Because it was true. Only I didn't know he'd seen it. There was a few seconds silence where it seemed like the whole issue had been resolved. I shut my eyes and leaned into dad and felt my mum hold me tight.  
Then-  
"Well, I'm sorry mate, but that's bang out of order."  
I opened my eyes. Uncle Ron was red in the face and glaring at me.  
I felt my dad stiffen.  
"What, Ronald?" Mum answered quietly.  
"That's not OK! Your son has helped that Malfoy boy break my daughter's heart! That is in no way ok! None of what Rose just said is ok!"  
"Ron!" Hermione gasped.  
"You're taking their side?" Ron rounded on her.  
"I'm saying you're being too harsh! Obviously I'm upset on our daughter's behalf, but clearly if Scorpius cheated on Rose something wasn't right between them- and that's got to be at least partly Rose's fault."  
I saw Rose flinch.  
Scorpius still wouldn't tell me exactly what had happened between them. But I guessed Rose had freaked him a bit with some intense notion, knowing them both.  
"....how could you say that?" Uncle Ron was yelling. Rose was burying her face in his shoulder.  
"Because it's TRUE, Ronald!"  
"I've got to back Hermione up on this one, mate." Dad said quietly.  
"Oh, obviously!  
"Don't speak to your best friend like that!" Aunt Hermione said shrilly. "You and I both know none of this is his fault-"  
"Oh, but it's his son's fault!"  
"Do you have a problem with our son, Ron?" Mum asked.  
"Yeah, with what he's done!"  
"So you've a problem with boys kissing other boys?" Mum said scathingly. "I didn't know you were THAT immature, Ronald."  
"That's not the issue! If he'd kissed, say, Hugo's girlfriend, I'd still have an issue! I've no problem with Albus being gay-"  
We all realised what he'd said. I felt strange. That was the first time anyone had ever labelled me like that, even myself.  
"Anyway," Ron continued unsteadily, "the _problem_ is that _this_ -" he gestured to Rose- "has happened to my daughter!"  
"THAT IS NOT ALBUS'S FAULT!" Mum screamed at him.  
"IT DAMN WELL IS!" Ron roared back.  
"You blinded, blinkered, favouritist-"  
Uncle Ron closed the gap between him and Mum and suddenly they were scrapping, shoving back and forth, and everyone was yelling and neither of the, would stop and we were all too afraid to intervene, and Dad dived in to help but then-  
Bam.  
My Uncle's flailing fist collided with Dad's nose.  
There was a deathly silence.  
Slowly, dad stood up and pulled mum up with him.  
Uncle Ron got unsteadily to his feet. My eyes were fixed on the blood on Dad's face.  
Ron looked shocked. "Harry- I didn't mean- I never meant-"  
Dad held up a hand and he stammered to a stop.  
"We clearly aren't welcome here, Gin." he said quietly. Hermione stepped forward, wand out, presumably to heal his nose, but he shook his head.  
"Heal your husband's pride and brain instead. Thanks for your support, 'Mione."  
He looked back at Rose and smiled softly. She stared back. He took Mum's hand and dragged her away. I followed uncertainly.  
We picked James and Lily up from where they were staring, aghast, at the bottom of the stairs.  
James stretched out a hand and muttered, " _Episkey_." Dad's face cleared.  
"Thanks, James."  
"Don't mention it."  
We kissed everyone else goodbye and gave a wave to the room as a whole. They all stared back, uncertain.  
As soon as we got in the car, Lily turned to me, her eyes wide with questions and lips parting to ask them. Mum saw.  
"Lily," she snapped, "take your brother's advice. DON'T EVEN MENTION IT."  
Lily nodded mutely.  
We drove away, leaving the turkey going cold behind us.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Ron, I am no Weasley-basher. I just needed someone to be angry and as he's sometimes a bit misguided and biased, I thought he'd be best- I couldn't bear making Harry, Ginny or Hermione unsupportive although in my head Hermione was a bit unsure.  
> SSx


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus and Scorpius buckle under the pressures of returning to hogwarts apart.  
> I'm so sorry for the late update guys! I've been on holiday but I promise updates will be weekly from this point onward.

**Albus**

I rolled over to get away from the pale light slanting into my eyes. Lily was already thumping down the stairs, and through the wall I could hear Dad and Mum's covers rustling as they sat up together. I wondered if I'd ever to be able to wake up like that- next to the person I loved, knowing I had not just that day but all the days in the rest of my life to spend with them. In my current friendless state I doubted it. I heard muffled shouts from downstairs. Undoubtedly Lily had disturbed one of James's countless early-morning revision sessions, and was now paying the price. I groaned and twisted to pull the covers back up over my head for some peace and quiet, knowing full well I'd never get back to sleep now. Probably just as well- we needed to leave for King's Cross at ten at the latest, and I had an infamous tendency for oversleeping. Surely an early rise couldn't be a bad thing... I thought until I saw the battered old wristwatch lying in my bedside table, cracked face tilted towards me. _HALF PAST SIX??_

Why would anyone with two brain cells to rub together be awake that early? I wasn't always the quickest mover, but surely nobody could ever need three and a half hours to wake up. The thumping was intensifying downstairs and I heard one of my parents sigh and clump down the hall. Their footsteps thumped steadily towards the stairs until they came to a pause outside my door. Whoever it was hesitated then I heard creaking and the bottom of the door brushing over the carpet. My parents always knew whether I was awake- no point trying to hide it. But I stayed on my back, staring blankly at the ceiling. I felt the mattress depress by my feet. I mumbled something unintelligible and heard a soft laugh. Then two hands thudded down either side of my head and I felt long, red hair brush may face. The bed juddered from the impact.

"Muumm!"

"Wakey wakey, got to get the train! Pancakes in fifteen minutes..." she sang. I twisted round and stubbornly shoved my face back into the pillow.

"Do I have to go back to school?" I mumbled.

"Albus, seriously, people do wake up at this sort of time."

"That's not what I meant." I heard her sigh.

She shifted on the mattress. "Here, shove up." I was well and truly awake now so I hoicked myself up and sideways, letting my head loll against the headboard. She sat herself up next to me, drumming her legs against the duvet. Her arm drew me into her side and I didn't resist, just slumped against her.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly. Where to start? It wasn't like she knew nothing about love, and how hard it could be. She'd spent her entire sixth year being tortured for my dad's whereabouts, when she didn't even know. She had spent an awful lot of my fourth year not knowing where I was, thinking it was her fault. And every time I had that thought, I was eaten up by guilt. "Is it about Scorpius?" I nodded silently. "Albus... you know your dad and I will support you no matter what. I'm so, so sorry that that happened at the Burrow- but, well, with five brothers, it's hard to imagine that there wouldn't be at least ONE who was an idiot. But anyway. I do not care if you want to kiss boys, girls, nifflers or pigmy puffs- though the last two might be a little weird. No! Don't look at me like that- it's perfectly normal to fancy people the same gender as you. No, not everyone does- but far, far more than you'd realise. The point is, you are still my son. You are the same person you've been the past nearly-fifteen years, and this does not change that-" I interrupted her, shaking my head. Didn't she get it?

"I KNOW I'm not straight, Mum. I've known that since I was about thirteen- that's not the issue. The problem is that I've ruined everything, with Scorpius..." Mum rubbed my back soothingly, sensing me getting agitated.

"Albus, love, you've got to tell me what happened." Her gaze bored into me. "If you can." My thoughts collided and broke. _What if she thinks I was wrong? What is she can't think of a way to help? What if she changes her mind?_

_She's your mother. She loves you no matter what._ I swallowed. Mum nodded. "After the article about Delphi," I began, "I was scared. I thought she was going to come for me, and Scorpius would be better off away from me. I thought he was ok with it- he was with Rose- so I avoided him." I tried to get past the lump in my throat. "But we ran into each other- and I realised- I realised-" "How much you'd missed him." Mum supplied gently. I nodded again before continuing. "And he felt the same- so we were friends again- and we started meeting up again- and then we were in the library and he asked me why I'd been avoiding him. And I told him- but I started crying..." my throat wobbled and mum hugged me tighter. "And he hugged me. And then we just..started...."

"Kissing?" I looked up at her.

"Yeah." She grinned.

"So that's all good? He wants to kiss you, you want to kiss him- the rest of us can stop the dreary waiting-" She saw the look on my face.

"Wasn't done yet, mum." She lapsed back into attentive silence. "And that was great, it was fine... felt really nice actually..." though that didn't even half cover it... " but then Rose came in." Mum's eyes widened. "I mean, of all the times..." I was fighting back tears. "And then she started blubbing and she ran off. And Scorpius just followed her, just like that." That was the worst bit. Scorpius had gone after Rose. He could have stayed with me, but he'd stepped away and he'd gone after Rose.

"Okay, Al..." mum took a steadying breath. "This is going to sound ridiculous. And very cliche. But you have to talk to him." I opened my mouth. She raised her hands. "Hear me out. All the greatest things start with people talking to each other. Also, just a point, you've done nothing wrong. You may feel you have- and perhaps Scorpius should have talked to Rose first- but that's not your fault." I automatically started to defend my friend. "That wasn't a criticism of him, Al- just a point. The point- you haven't done anything wrong. That heart-" she tapped my chest- "as your father is fond of saying, is a good one. And I should know- I made it." I was in difficulties trying to find something to say. I loved my mum so much. And I knew she was right. If I didn't talk to Scorpius, I'd regret it. But I wasn't brave enough. I knew she was right but I also really knew I wouldn't pluck up the courage. There was a reason I wasn't sorted into Gryffindor. I sometimes didn't make the correct choice between right and easy.

"Look, Al..." Mum said gently, "how about a nice shower and then I'll meet you downstairs in ten for pancakes."

"Ok."

When I got into the bathroom, I could see Lily had already showered because there was conditioner all over the floor. I switched on the hand held shower and sprayed at the sticky, slippery mess until it had all gurgled down the drain. I adjusted the shower temperature up much hotter and stepped out to grab a fresh towel while the water warmed up in the tank. Once I'd undressed I stepped under the showerhead and yanked the lever. With a clunk and splutter the water roared into life and started crashing down on my head. I gasped as I always did- I knew I had the water temperature up high but it was still a shock to the system. I stood for a few minutes in contented silence before sighing and tipping some shampoo on my head. After I'd rubbed it in and rinsed it out I grabbed another random bottle and scrubbed it all over me. I hoped it'd been bodywash but I couldn't vouch for it. I slammed the lever back into the wall and sighed, looking down at the suds swirling down the drain. Water dripped off my long hair and ran into my eyes. I staggered out of the shower and started towelling off, rubbing my skin soft and red until it prickled uncomfortably. This term would undoubtedly be worse without Scorpius. I honestly had never had a school day without him and I couldn't imagine it.

"Al? Pancakes?" Mum called through the door.

"Coming!" I yelled back. I kneaded my hands over my temples. This school year had started out so promisingly, but had only got worse and worse.

**Scorpius**

I shoved my case under the seat. No writing on it, which I supposed was a start. My head thudded back against the seat and the rough fabric scraped against my hair. My eyes fluttered shut with a sigh. I felt the train jerk into motion. This would be the first time I'd sit alone on the Hogwarts Express since Al had spattergroit in our second year and was two weeks late back to the third term. That had been a living hell. I guessed I'd have to get used to it. My mind was still replaying Christmas. I felt as though I were living my worst nightmare- my best friend gone, my dad forgetting my mum. And he had- I was sure of it. Actually, no- he'd forgotten, or he didn't want to remember. And I couldn't decide which was worse. Over the holidays, pictures of mum had gradually disappeared. From the mantel. The walls. Dad's room. Agnes had visited a couple more times and each time, I said the requisite hellos and how-are-yous and disappeared to my room. I couldn't bear to watch her stand where my mother had and kiss my father like it was the most normal thing in the world, like she wasn't taking over _our_  world. Plus, I just felt uncomfortable around her. There was something about her that reminded me of a white tiger- so perfect, rare and beautiful, but would kill on sight. Her eyes bored into me in such a way that I could never keep eye contact with her for long. I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd seen them somewhere before. What was more... she kept asking me about Albus. On the rare occasions I'd stayed in the room with her, all she'd been able to talk about were my friends at school- and the conversation kept coming back to him. I always got a chill down my spine from the way she said his name; softly, like a predator who didn't want to wake its prey...

"Well look who it isn't."

I closed my eyes briefly.

"Voldemort's son- all on his ownio."

I looked up. Karl and Yann were at the door, leering in. I pulled my things in towards me. "You know that's not true. Me and Albus caught the real child of Voldemort last year."

"Heard you got real close with her too..." Yann sauntered in and Karl followed. "Nothing like a long-lost family connection, is there?"

"I wouldn't know." My voice was like glass, but not sharp as I'd wanted it to be- dull and cracked. They swung themselves down onto the seats-Yann opposite me and Karl on my right. Blocking my escape.

"Course you wouldn't." Karl whispered into my ear. I flinched at the feel of his breath. "I take it these seats aren't reserved?" I opened my mouth, then closed it. "Good." He leant over my pile of Pumpkin Pasties and snacks for the journey. "Ooh- chocolate frogs- don't mind if I do..." I opened my mouth again to say I did mind actually- they could get their own- then closed it. There was a reason I wasn't put in Gryffindor. I was a coward.

"So," Karl asked faux-friendly through a mouthful of my food, "how's the Boy Who Disappointed Everyone doing these days?" "Don't talk about him like that..."

"Who's going to stop us?" Yann stood up and Karl slammed his fist down on the table. I cowered like a baby. "No Rose to protect you now... no Albus... your Potter connections can't help you." As he spoke he stood, eyes roving the compartment. Then his gaze fastened on my trunk. "No..." I pleaded. I was horrified at how scared my voice sounded. "Ah, we'll just have a peek, won't we Yann?" He pulled it towards him. Yann fumbled with the buckle. I stood up, my guts squirming. "Please don't do this... why are you doing this?" "Because," Karl spat, "we can." I watched helplessly and they threw the lid of the trunk open and my belongings started to be scattered across the compartment. I was far too scared to intervene. I just hoped they'd find something of interest to them before what was at the bottom. They didn't. Heart in mouth, I watched them levitate objects out of my trunk and send them flying around the space, making them whizz around alive our heads.. the compartment blinds were down so nobody could see what was going on... Then the books, clothes and trinkets crashed to the floor and I knew they'd found it. An expression of glee spread across their faces.

"What's this, then?" Karl asked quietly. 'This' was a photo in a delicate frame. I had debated bringing it this year even in case of something like this happening. They flipped it over and it still felt like a punch in the gut. Me and Albus. Together and happy. The photo had been taken at the end of our third year, after our exams had finished. Albus had his arm slung round my shoulders and my head was tilted towards him. It was a candid shot, taken by my dad at King's Cross.

"Albus and Scorpius..." Yann muttered. Karl cackled maliciously. "So this is what you're hiding, Voldemort's son? You and Albus a bit more than friends?"

"No!" I whispered hoarsely. I collapsed back into the edge of the seat and slid down to the floor. "No..."

"Well I must say this isn't what I expected to find." Karl muttered softly. Dangerously. Turning the precious photo over and over in his hands.

"Please give it back..."

"Oh, I will." I swallowed. It was too much to hope for. "You will?"

"Yeah. Sure. Catch!" I scrambled to my feet, but it was too late. The photograph had sailed out of the open window, into the countryside which was rushing past. Karl laughed. Yann looked at his friend uncertainly. "Mate.... but much, don't you think?" Something dark and deadly flickered over Karl's face. "Taking his side, are you?" he spat. He sent a random jet from his wand and it slammed into Yann's stomach, causing him to crumple from the force. Karl stormed out of the compartment. Yann was choking on the floor, heaving in great gulps of air. I sat there numbly, unable to believe what had just happened. When Yann recovered himself, he looked up at me, shell shocked. "Scorpius- believe me- I did t know he was going to-" "GET OUT!" I screamed at him suddenly. "GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT! YOU DO NOT GET THE RIGHT TO TALK TO ME, DON'T EVEN LOOK AT ME-" He scrambled to his feet, scared. I glowered and pointed at the door, anger expended. "Just go, Yann!" He left. I slumped and buried my head in my hands, the wreckage of my belongings around me, speeding away from the photo.

I was alone again.


End file.
